No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

27/XII/1917: No hostile activity other than usual harassing fire of artillery and TM’s.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

203654 Pte Alfred Harold Ball from Derby died as a prisoner of war aged 21

Alfred was captured with 80916 Pte Percy Hawksworth whilst on sentry duty near HUNT TRENCH on 29th September 1917.Although the Court of Enquiry believed that German soldiers entered the Lewis Gun Post and captured the two Privates, this was not a view shared by the Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Goyer Gilligan, who would later describe the two men as stupid and faint hearted.

However the Red Cross records show that Percy Hawksworth was captured unwounded.